Re: Dita e Verës (14 March) [OT}

On 3/14/2025 12:03 AM, Ross Clark wrote:

On 14/03/2025 5:35 p.m., Jeff Barnett wrote:

On 3/13/2025 5:30 PM, Ross Clark wrote:

"an Albanian spring festival and pagan holiday....for the beginning
of the spring-summer period."
Celebrated officially on 14 March in Albania, unofficially in other
countries where there are Albanians.

I'm curious: What does "pagan" mean in this context? And in general,
what image or reaction is the word supposed to conjure in general?

My guess is that Dita e Verës is believed to date from before the
Albanians were Christians -- or Muslims. (People say that about a lot of
present-day festivals or customs; it's not necessarily true.) I don't
think it has anything to do with how the day is celebrated now.

My question was prompted by our (current v. past) usage of the word
"pagan"; not by curiosity about the festival. Since these threads are
attended to by people with cultural interests in addition to linguistic
background and interests, I thought it would be a good place to ask.
--
Jeff Barnett